Wildlife authorities in Massachusetts are on the hunt for a small alligator caught on camera in the Charles River by a couple walking in Boston.
Trevor Rochelle captured video during the weekend when he and his girlfriend spotted the gator during a walk alongside the Charles River.
Rochelle said the reptile was not moving, but retreated into the water when he poked it with a stick.
Other alligator sightings have been reported in the same area in recent days.
The Massachusetts Division of Wildlife, Boston Animal Control and Massachusetts Environmental Police are now attempting to find and capture the alligator.
The reptile’s origins are unknown, but alligators are not legal to keep as pets in the state. MassWildlife said the alligator would be unlikely to survive for very long in the upcoming cold weather.
The gator isn’t the first of its species to turn up in the Charles River — a 4-foot alligator was removed from the river by a specialist from Rainforest Reptile Shows in 2010.
